Several digital subscriber line (DSL) technologies exist that are capable of providing broadband access over copper wires. These DSL technologies include: High Bit Rate Digital Subscriber Line (HDSL), Symmetric HDSL, Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL/ADSL2/ADSL2plus), and Very High Speed Digital Subscriber Line 2 (VDSL2).
SHDSL and other HDSL systems are generally central-office (CO) based systems due to their symmetrical properties and long reach capability, and are typically used to transport E1 (2048 kbit/s) or T1(1544 kbit/s) traffic. SHDSL/HDSL technologies are frequently used in leased line applications for mobile backhauling of GSM and/or WCDMA traffic. In these applications, the dominant layer 2 protocol is Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) or Time Division Multiplexed (TDM).
On short loops, VDSL2 systems provide much higher data rates than other DSL technologies. A typical deployment scenario for VDSL2 is to install fiber to some network access point close to the end user (e.g., a cabinet or in the end user's basement) and in this network access point place the VDSL2 modem. A name for this kind of scenario is “Fiber to the Node (FTTN)” (other names for this scenario include: “Fiber to the cabinet/curb (FTTC)” and “Fiber to the building/basement (FTTB)”).
Because of its high speed capability (e.g., 100 Mbit/s), VDSL2 is an attractive technology for mobile backhauling of High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) and Long term Evolution (LTE) radio access traffic. However, it is anticipated that any new backhauling technology (e.g., VDSL2) should be backwards compatible when it comes to transport of legacy mobile access like GSM and WCDMA. Furthermore it is assumed that the layer 2 protocol for HSPA or LTE backhauling will be Ethernet.
The introduction of high speed data in the mobile network will require high speed backhauling. When copper is used for this transport, VDSL2 will be a suitable choice. It is also anticipated that when new technologies like HSPA or LTE are installed in an existing network access system, the service provider will keep its GSM or WCDMA for some amount of time until all traffic running on these legacy mobile systems have been smoothly migrated over to HSPA or LTE.
In the scenario where a network access system will include high speed technologies (e.g., HSPA/LTE) and legacy technologies (e.g., GSM/WCDMA), an approach to providing the mobile backhauling of the traffic is to install an additional communication link (e.g., twisted-pair copper cable) to handle the HSPA/LTE traffic and to use VDSL2 over this communication link. However, this solution may be problematic because such an additional communication link may not be available or may be available only at great expense.
What is desired are systems and methods for overcoming the above described problem.